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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27987240">Camel Spin</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcerbicAnimagus/pseuds/AcerbicAnimagus'>AcerbicAnimagus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, F/M, Light Angst, One Shot, Post-War, Severus Snape Lives, deepperplexity's Snapemas 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:42:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,499</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27987240</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcerbicAnimagus/pseuds/AcerbicAnimagus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus spends a lot of time from home without his wife knowing where he goes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Camel Spin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this short fic for Tumblr's deepperplexity's Snapemas 2020. Can you guess which day's prompt I followed?</p>
<p>(This was written at 4 am and not beta'd, so any errors are completely my fault.) </p>
<p>As always,</p>
<p>Much love!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>Camel Spin</h1>
<p>Hermione was at the end of her rope.<br/>
After two wonderful years of being married to the one man no one had expected her to marry, even after a period of three in years filled with extensive dating and moving in together, something was off. </p>
<p>While Severus Snape was almost the complete opposite of the surly, cruel potions teacher she’d had all those years ago, he still was a man of many secrets. It wasn’t as if he actively tried to hide them, not with her anyway, not anymore, but being 19 years her senior during which period he’d done Merlin-knows-what, there still was a whole lot of uncovered stories. </p>
<p>Their dating, though neither of them had wanted to call it that, had started two years after the war had ended. Severus had spent the first year in St. Mungo’s, Hermione refusing to leave him out of her sight after finding his unconscious body almost completely void of blood in the Shrieking Shack. It was that moment then and there she’d vowed to herself she would do everything in her power to see the Potions Master on his feet again, preferably all healthy and happy. Of course the Professor himself hadn’t agreed with Hermione at all, warding off all her attempts at fussing over him and trying to engage him in conversation once he’d woken from his coma. But Hermione being Hermione hadn’t let herself be discouraged by the dour man, especially not since he’d still been immobile and could barely raise his voice to more than a whisper at the time.</p>
<p>How she’d eventually managed to wiggle her way through his seemingly-but-apparently-not-quite-so impenetrable walls, they would each explain with a different story, but the fact remained; somewhere along the way, after hours and hours of physical therapy, voice exercises, mental assessments and whatnot, Hermione Granger and Severus Snape had become friends. And like friends do, they hung out together.</p>
<p>On good days, they would go for a walk, the two of them talking about all things magical, but also just mundane things like the endless stream of dirty clothes that needed to be washed. On bad days, Hermione would stop by Severus’ new one-story studio on the outskirts of Dublin, Apparating from her own cramped apartment in London from where she took a double mastery in Transfigurations and Charms.<br/>
On those days, armed with her research and food from one of the man’s favourite places, she would sit with him till the moon’s arrival and much later. They talked, they bantered, they laughed. And secretly and from afar, they pined.</p>
<p>It was laughable, really, how dense the both of them had to have been in order to not have seen the longing looks they’d cast at one another. It wasn’t until Severus had been cleared by the Healers at St. Mungo’s that they’d given in to their feelings. ‘Till that point, Hermione’d feared Severus had only used and condoned her company during his recovery, and in turn, Severus had worried Hermione had only seen him as a responsibility, a pity-project.</p>
<p>It had taken the interference of, and if asked, Severus would still deny it up and down, the Boy Who Lived, to make them realise they fancied one another. </p>
<p>Now, it had been little over five years since their first official date and Hermione stood in the doorway to the kitchen of their home in the center of Dublin. It was nearing dinner time but there was no sign of her husband, no note saying he’d been held back at the apothecary he’d opened, not the man himself chopping up vegetables at the counter. If this had occurred three months ago, Hermione would’ve worried about his safety, but by now she knew better than to waste her energy.</p>
<p>Ever since they’d hit their two year anniversary, Severus had begun running off at random times without giving any notice. At first, she’d thought he’d been petulant about the fact they hadn’t been able to properly celebrate their special day because of her work and he now felt the need to give her a taste of her own medicine or something, but once he’d returned he had assured her that wasn’t the case. Therefore, the next time he’d disappeared, Hermione had been scared out of her mind something had happened to him, like some vigilante Death Eater wanting to get revenge on the <em>traitor</em>. Her patronus hadn’t been received and she’d Floo’d everyone from Harry to McGonagall and Lucius Malfoy, but no one had been able to tell her where her significant other might have been. When the man of the hour had walked through the door three hours later, acting like he hadn’t vanished from the face of the earth for three full hours, he’d been welcomed with an armful of sobbing witch. The two times after that it had been the same story, but the fourth time, instead of a stressed-out witch, he’d been met with a furious one.</p>
<p>This time was the fourteenth, not that she’d been counting of course, and again, like she’d done for the past ten times, Hermione was working herself into a frenzy as to where the hell Severus could be. Every time she’d tried asking him, he’d deflected, and infuriating as it was, she had never once gotten a straight answer from him about his whereabouts at those moments.</p>
<p>“Goddammit, Severus,” the Transfigurations Mistress swore under her breath. “Where the hell are you?”</p>
<p>Staring out the window, she noticed a few kids playing ball, but they did nothing to cheer her up, even though normally seeing young children would lift her spirits, particularly after she and Severus had been talking about trying for one themselves. With a sigh, she closed her eyes for a moment and sharply turned on her heels away from the window and the empty kitchen. As she pulled out her wand, she sat down at the dining table.</p>
<p>“<em>Accio</em> silver chest.”</p>
<p>Impatiently strumming her fingers on the tabletop as she waited for the small chest to fly to her, she asked herself if she was being paranoid or not.</p>
<p>
  <em>Fourteen times. He’s disappeared fourteen times. I’m not imagining things, am I? Use your brain, Madam Snape, do you really think he would do this to you?</em>
</p>
<p>The problem was she truly did not know. Of course she trusted him with her life and while she loved him like no other, her own insecurities made her doubt her husband’s loyalties. Why else would a man go on secret little trips for about three hours? </p>
<p>As soons as the silver chest landed on the wooden table with a soft thud, Hermione reached for the latch and opened it. In it, carefully wrapped in some cloth, lay a tiny phial of a deep blue, almost black, slightly shiny potion. Taking it in hand, Hermione stared at it.</p>
<p>What exactly did it say about her as a wife she’d wanted to use this? Was she being controlling, manipulative, possessive? No, surely that wasn’t it. Going into this, she’d known the kind of man Severus was, and it was that man she loved, all of him, secrets and all. Then why couldn’t she just accept this was just another one of his secrets and trust he’d tell her once he’d be ready to talk? Why could she not trust him, <em>him</em> of all people, to be loyal to her?</p>
<p>“If I’m wrong, he’s going to kill me,” Hermione muttered to herself as she uncorked the phial.</p>
<p>At that point, she didn’t even know herself if she wanted to be right or wrong, afraid both scenarios would result in the end of her marriage, she’d once considered the best thing that had ever happened to her.</p>
<p>Even now that the tiny bottle was unstoppered, she still only continued to stare at it, making no move to actually do something with the contents. She must’ve sat there for over an hour, but still no sign of Severus.</p>
<p>“Here goes nothing,” she said to the empty dining room as he lifted the phial and downed the potion.</p>
<p>There was no physical reaction which told her it was working, no sparkles or buzzing, only the sudden need to Disapparate. Gripping her wand more firmly, Hermione rose and then she was gone.</p>
<p>Not a second had passed but instead of the safety of her own home, Hermione now found herself standing outside some abandoned-looking warehouse. The witch was sure it wasn’t really abandoned, though; the potion hadn’t taken her there for nothing, she could feel her husband’s presence. </p>
<p>“What by Merlin’s dirty pants is he doing here?” she wondered aloud, but of course no one answered.</p>
<p>Always one for safety, she made sure to Disillusion herself and cast a Muffling charm on her boots before scouting the building. As far as Hermione could tell she really was the only one on the perimeter, well, except for Severus himself of course. Confident there was no one watching, ready to attack her, she slipped through the only door she could find. </p>
<p>Sneaking through stacks of wooden crates, she whispered, “<em>Homenum revelio</em>.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Fuck.</em>
</p>
<p>She knew it.</p>
<p>The spell had revealed two other presences other than herself. One of those must be Severus, but the other one, she was convinced by now, could only mean one thing: Severus was cheating on her.</p>
<p>Squeezing her eyes shut to hold back the tears that threatened to appear,  she felt torn between white hot rage and just plain despair. Hadn’t she been enough for him? What could this person give him he thought she could not? </p>
<p>Though she didn’t hear anything to indicate a tryst of passion in the dark, by now her self-esteem was so low she simply could not think of any other possibility that could explain Severus being there. Wand at the ready, she was fully prepared to blast the daft bimbo that thought they could make a fool out of her like that to bits, so as she found her way through the maze of crates, she could only focus on this strange scraping-sounding noise that seemed to grow louder with every step she took. </p>
<p>“Yes, Severus!” she then clearly heard, though she had to admit she was surprised to hear an undeniably male voice. That wasn’t the part that pained her, though, no Severus had told her he was bisexual quite early on in their realionship; it was the fact that that voice sounded out of breath and full of admiration.</p>
<p>
  <em>How could I have been so stupid? To think I was enough for him. You’re such a fool, Granger.</em>
</p>
<p>Although a steady stream of tears rolled down her cheeks, her steps didn’t falter. Determined to face whoever was there with Severus and the man himself, she kept creeping closer and closer. A line of crates kept her out of sight, but also kept her from seeing them. Pressing her back to the wall of wood, she listened to the scraping sound and tried not to imagine what the bloody hell could make such a noise. Half and half debating whether she shouldn’t just turn her back on it all and go home, she stood there in the dark, silently crying. </p>
<p>
  <em>And then what? What do I do when I get home? Pack my things and go? No, he doesn’t get to get away with it so easily. But do I want to see him like this? Maybe it’s better if I just go...</em>
</p>
<p>Only when she heard the male voice again, she whirled around, just in time to see the man’s mouth close after yelling: “Severus, you brilliant man!”</p>
<p>At the sight of her husband and the unknown man, Hermione’s mouth fell open, her eyes flitting from one to the other, since they were not, as she’d assumed lying tangled in the sheets, but six feet apart. And on skates. Ice skates.</p>
<p>Her mouth still agape, Hermione was too shocked to do anything other than stare at the lithe form of her husband gliding over the ice and setting up to perform a perfect camel spin.<br/>
He was dressed in black, wearing tight-fit trousers which showed off his firm and full bottom, and an opaque long-sleeved shirt through which you could easily notice his wiry muscles even as he moved swiftly about the ice rink. The camel spin was followed by a flip, Severus smoothly turning on his left leg before bringing his right leg down to make his jump, his face oddly relaxed. After he landed, he made a few quick strokes to gain speed, which he used to launch into another camel spin, which he changed into a sit spin halfway. One, two, three, four turns he made before pulling himself upright again and skating away with large, fluid motions, while Hermione gaped at him with nothing but astonishment. Another turn was next, resulting in Severus flying over the ice on one leg, which he then used to jump and turn. As he came out of his spin when he landed, Hermione would’ve sworn she saw him smirk in her direction, a suspicion that got bigger just seconds later.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?” the man shouted as Severus let himself come to a halt. “Your line is not done yet!”</p>
<p>Without answering, Severus skated to him and seemed to whisper something in his ear, eliciting a smirk on the man’s face, Hermione did not like, even though it was now becoming clearer and clearing she’d been wrong in her conviction Severus had been out here, cheating. </p>
<p>Severus told the man something else, to which he nodded before making his way to the far end of the rink and stepping off. In the meantime, Severus took his time getting to the middle of the arena, his long legs carrying him effortlessly across the ice. Getting there, he stood completely still, upright, his hands behind his back, which was turned to Hermione, who was watching in awe, enthralled by his grace. He was breathtaking in his beauty.</p>
<p>Only when the other man had disappeared from view to god-knows-where, Severus moved. Very slowly, he twisted his torso before his legs followed and then his head snapped sideways, his black, glittering eyes finding hers in an instant even though she was still Disillusioned.</p>
<p>“Come here, Hermione,” she heard him say so softly she almost worried she’d imagined it for a second.</p>
<p>Feeling guilty as hell, Hermione undid her camouflage and then lowered her eyes and head, but she complied nonetheless. She knew she’d been caught and now she would deal with the consequences. That’s what you get for doubting your spouse, she thought.</p>
<p>To her surprise, when she had carefully shuffled towards him, Severus didn’t seem angry in the slightest. If anything, she’d say he looked amused. Her eyes still cast downward, though, Hermione stood in front of him, waiting until he would say something that would betray his thoughts.</p>
<p>“What are you doing here, Hermione?” he asked, his voice perfectly level.</p>
<p>As she felt the blood rise in her cheeks, Hermione bit her lip when she felt two gentle fingers press under her chin, tipping her head up so she had to meet Severus’ eyes. On one hand, she was relieved to see no anger displayed, on the other hand, she hated herself for the pain that was there. To be fair, he had good reason to feel hurt; she’d suspected him of cheating on her, and she had a feeling he knew.</p>
<p>“You know why,” was her mumbled reply, glancing sideways, still unable to look him in the eye.</p>
<p>“Look at me and tell me.”</p>
<p>Closing her eyes for a second to steady herself, Hermione took a deep breath before looking up.</p>
<p>“I thought I would find you here, cheating on me.”</p>
<p>Inwardly, she cringed when she saw the hurt flash in his eyes, but she didn’t dare lower her gaze.</p>
<p>“Yes, I know,” he said.</p>
<p>“How?”</p>
<p>Severus frowned. “Your thoughts project themselves to me when you're asleep.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry for doubting you.”</p>
<p>“Yes, I know.”</p>
<p>“How?”</p>
<p>“Because I know you,” Severus answered with a hint of a smile playing at his lips despite this highly strange conversation.</p>
<p>“So what now?” Hermione was almost afraid to ask.</p>
<p>“Obviously I have to work harder to convince you that you are the one and only woman for me and that I will never leave you,” Severus said.</p>
<p>How was he making a joke of this? Impossible man.</p>
<p>“Severus…” Hermione started hesitantly, glad he wasn’t mad at her, but also kind of irritated it didn’t seem to bother him at all.</p>
<p>“Please, let me,” Severus held up a hand. “Look, I will not lie to you and say your doubt does not hurt me, but in your defence, I should’ve given you some assurance as to where I’ve been going all the time. It’s not your fault you doubted me. My behaviour didn’t give you much of a choice and I am truly sorry you thought I wasn’t fully yours anymore.”</p>
<p>Seeing his face so open and hearing these heartfelt words from the man who once wouldn’t even tell someone his favourite colour because, as he had reasoned, even the smallest detail can be used against you, Hermione began crying again. In fact, she started sobbing as she leaned into her husband’s warm chest, wetting it with her tears.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry I doubted you, Severus!” she threw out as he felt his strong arms pulling her firmer into his body.</p>
<p>“Ssssh,” he whispered into her hair. “I know, it’s okay.”</p>
<p>There, in that abandoned building somewhere in Dublin, Hermione stood in the safety of her husband’s arms, bawling her eyes out because of her own stupid insecurities. Only when she’d had no more tears left to shed, they’d disengaged themselves, and one question had popped into Hermione’s head.</p>
<p>“Severus,” she started. “Why didn’t you just tell me what you were doing?”</p>
<p>Tilting his head, he took his time considering before replying, “I wanted to surprise you.”</p>
<p>Despite herself, Hermione let out a chuckle.</p>
<p>“Well, you got that right,” she muttered.</p>
<p>“Err… yes,” Severus ran a hand through his raven locks. “I started skating when I was a little boy. The winters in Spinner’s end were miserable, but at least when the river would freeze over, the kids would have something to do.”</p>
<p>He paused for a second as if he wasn’t certain if his sharing would be welcomed. Smiling encouragingly, Hermione nodded for him to continue.</p>
<p>“You should have seen me, Hermione,” he sighed with a rare sense of melancholy and pride. “I was amazing. Every winter I would practise, and in the off-seasons I would sneak into this rink at night when there was nobody here. As you can see, it’s now closed - no one wants to go ice skating these days - but they never removed the rink itself.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you were brilliant, Severus,” Hermione agreed, taking his left hand and pressing a kiss to his open palm. “You are brilliant.”</p>
<p>A blush decorated the man’s cheeks, but he did not jerk away. It amazed Hermione that she could still make him blush like a seven year old boy with such tiny gestures, even after two years of marriage. Oh how could she’ve been so stupid to think he would ever be unfaithful?</p>
<p>“Anyway,” he continued, “when we couldn’t celebrate our anniversary this year, I wanted to do something special for you, to surprise you. I contacted the one man who knew I used to sneak in here as a little boy and got him to agree to coach me. It’s quite relaxing for me, skating, I mean. Once I’d be ready, I would take you here and show you, at least that was the plan…”</p>
<p>“What changed it?”</p>
<p>“You did.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” was all Hermione could think of to respond before actual words came out. “I’m so, so sorry, Severus. Gods, I have been so stupid!”</p>
<p>“Hey now, no more of that,” Severus said as he brushed away one stray tear with his thumb. “You are not the one to blame here. I should’ve said something.”</p>
<p>Then he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on her lips, brushing his nose against her cheek when he pulled away.</p>
<p>“Yes, you should have,” Hermione agreed, but she smiled nonetheless.</p>
<p>“What is it?” Severus asked.</p>
<p>Hermione shook her head. “Just thinking about how glad I am to be wrong.”</p>
<p>“You’re serious?” Severus teased. “Call the papers, this is ground-breaking!”</p>
<p>“Shut up, you,” Hermione said, though her smile hadn’t faded.</p>
<p>“I will, if you skate with me,” Severus replied without missing a beat.</p>
<p>“So that’s why we’re still here in the cold instead of at home eating dinner?”</p>
<p>“Why, yes, of course,” her husband intoned. “Why else do you think I let you stay and watch? You did breach my inner sanctum, you know!”</p>
<p>“Shut up and show me how to skate, Severus.”</p>
<p>“I’m all yours.”</p>
<p>“And I am <em>yours</em>.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's day 7: ice skating</p>
<p>disclaimer: i know next to nothing about ice skating, so if this offends anyone who does, i am very sorry. i don't even really like ice skating and up until yesterday i never once watched it for more than 10 seconds because i thought i was boring and had no point whatsoever. it was only after i saw the breathtaking performance of Johnny Weir to "Creep" i really wanted, needed, to write about Severus ice skating.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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